As a parent, navigating the world of special education (or SPED) can be daunting. Seeking a diagnosis for your child comes with a myriad of hoops you and your kid must inevitably jump through. On the other hand, receiving notice that your child may need testing for a diagnosis can bring a surprising and often overwhelming mix of feelings for many parents. Fortunately, those that work in the field of special education are here to help guide you through this complicated process.
Stephanie Moore has been working with people who have disabilities for over a decade. She spent the last seven years in a SPED classroom teaching students with disabilities. Now, she runs her own private business, Moore Special Education Consulting, where she hopes to support as many people with diagnoses as she possibly can.
From her time in schools, Moore is extremely familiar with the process of students getting evaluated for special education services. For all the parents out there, this is likely the most murky of waters within which you will tread when it comes to SPED. In spite of the frequent confusion surrounding the process, Moore explains it quite simply.
There are two potential pathways to a diagnosis in school: either the teacher or the parent identifies that the student should be tested for a diagnosis, and so the process begins! Check out the infographics below to understand the two pathways toward evaluations for your child.
Special Education Process Identified by Teacher
Once a teacher or administrator has decided that a student would be a good candidate for an evaluation, then they will reach out to the family. In fact, under federal law (the Individuals with Disabilities Act), states must require local school districts to “identify, locate, and evaluate every child who may have a disability requiring special education services.” This is called “Child Find”.
Once a teacher flags a student as a potential candidate for an evaluation, the next step is to reach out to the parents. Moore states that this news can sometimes be difficult for parents. Your first reaction may be to feel guarded or defensive. If this happens, know that “these feelings are totally normal responses,” according to Moore. It is very encouraged for parents to ask questions. Reach out to the teacher for more information–What are they seeing in school in regards to your kid’s behavior or performance? What data have they collected thus far? How is the student being impacted?
Once parents have been contacted and questions have been answered, the parents can either give the green light to go forward with the evaluation or decide not to evaluate. It is important to note that, even if a child goes through an evaluation process, they may not be diagnosed with anything or given accommodations.
Parent Requests Student be Tested for Diagnosis
Although the evaluation process is often kicked off by a teacher or the school, parents can also request that their child receive services. See the infographic below for the step-by-step process for parent identified concerns:
Frequently, parents will reach out to schools requesting an evaluation if they see behavior from their child at home, their child complains of struggles they may be having in the classroom, or if the child already has a diagnosis from a physician. If the school agrees that an evaluation is appropriate at this time, then the process will begin.
Moore notes that sometimes the school may advise against testing at this time. If this is the case, and you feel strongly that your child should be tested, reach out to the school. Ask them to set up a meeting in person so that you can discuss the issue further. This will not only allow for you to share your perspective, but also better understand where the school is coming from and why they want to wait to evaluate at this time.
Moore advises that parents in this position should “give the school concrete evidence and examples of what you are seeing. You can push for an evaluation if it is really impacting their education, but don’t be a dictator! You don’t want to get into battle. Advocate in a positive way.”
Be Your Child's Strongest Advocate
If you are a parent who has either received news that your child should be evaluated for services or if you are hoping to get your child tested for services, you have the support of special education teachers and experts like Moore. The process might seem scary and daunting, but you can always ask questions and get clarification from the experts at your child’s school.
Remember that it is important to remain open and try to truly understand what is going on in order to best support your child. There are pieces of the puzzle that only you see, and pieces of the puzzle that only the school sees. You can put the pieces together if you work as a team. Above all else, don’t forget that you are absolutely your child’s strongest advocate.
Sponsored by:
Stephanie Moore, M.S. Ed
Moore Special Education Consulting, LLC
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